(EW.com) -- David Fincher's "The Social Network," destined to be in the thick of Oscar talk this year, dominated the box office this first weekend in October, taking in $23 million from 2,771 locations.
The PG-13 movie, depicting the founding of Facebook, was met with an almost completely positive response from critics. And it now adds a B+ from audiences, according to exit pollster CinemaScore.
While expectations had placed the film, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, in a zone similar to "The Departed", or around $27 million for its opening frame, the film's positive word-of-mouth should bolster its performance in coming weeks. It can be expected to draw in more male and younger audiences and approach "The Departed's" total domestic gross of $132 million.
The other two new wide releases, horror films "Let Me In" and "Case 39", did not connect nearly as well with moviegoers.
"Let Me In," a new take on the Swedish film "Let the Right One In," scored brilliantly with critics, but opened to just $5.3 million, landing it in seventh place for the weekend.
Audiences were less enthusiastic, giving the film directed by J.J. Abrams protege Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield") a C+, according to CinemaScore.
CNN
